The history of Kyoto sweets dates back to the Heian period, when Chinese sweets were introduced and served at the Imperial Court and other venues. The custom of drinking tea and sweets together was introduced in the Kamakura period, and in the Muromachi period, it became popular among the powerful as part of the tea ceremony culture, leading to the active production of tea ceremony sweets in Kyoto. Later, in the tea ceremony perfected by Sen no Rikyu and others, sweets came to be seen as a way of expressing the seasons, and Kyoto, influenced by aristocratic culture and temples and shrines, developed a unique sweets culture that expressed the beauty of nature with a high level of artistry. From the Meiji period onwards, new sweets were born that incorporated ingredients and techniques from Western sweets, and the fusion of tradition and innovation progressed. Today, Kyoto sweets are highly regarded worldwide as a representative example of Japanese sweet culture.